Your Childrens’ Spare Time

The kids are back in school. Mom (and in some cases Dad) is enjoying their new found freedom as the progeny depart on the big yellow bus. Much too soon the school day ends and that bus arrives back home. The children each find something constructive to do and their time is well spent until they retire for the night to their beds.

If this is not how your evening goes during the school year, perhaps you want to consider an enriching activity for your children. Scouting!

Lee's Summit has a rich tradition of both Girl and Boy Scouting. A majority of our churches and many of our school PTAs sponsor troops in both organizations. I am sure there is a troop near you.

Michelle Ahern, a local Girl Scout leader shares, "Girl Scouts are for girls in Kindergarten thru 12^th grade. The girls learn about themselves, their community, and their world. They learn new skills while earning badges, learn to give back thru service, are able to make decisions for themselves, improve their leadership skills, and most importantly have fun while doing all this. Girls can learn lots from inside meetings, but the outdoor possibilities are endless as well. Girl Scouts are building girls of courage, confidence and character who make the world a better place. For more information about Girl Scouts, please contact Jeanne Kouba, with the Girl Scouts of NE Kansas and NW Missouri Council office at 816-358-8750 or email her at JeanneKouba@girlscoutsksmo.org."

The Boy Scouts of America offer Cub Scouts for boys 1^st grade through 5^th grade. The boys learn also about their community and their family. They are able to earn awards in activities ranging from horseback riding to flag football; hiking to chess, even computers and video games. They are divided into dens that meet twice a month. They meet as a pack monthly. Throughout the year they participate in camping, swimming and pinewood derby competition.

Boy Scouts is a program for boys in grades 5 through 8. They camp monthly and participate in summer camp each year. Scouts learn how to hike, back pack, swim, and do first aid among many activities. They are divided into patrols within their troops. At an early age in scouting, they boys learn how to be a leader within their patrols. The boy leaders plan the activities of the troop. The leadership skills they learn transfer into their adult lives. Many troops participate in high adventure activities such as back packing, canoeing and arctic camping.

Recently the Boy Scouts of America has developed a program for boys and girls ages 14 to 20 called Venturing. A Venture crew is given a broad range of activities to choose from. Like Boy Scouts and Girl Scouts, the outdoors is integral. Ventures can also participate in community service, youth ministries, performance and high adventure.

For more information about Cub Scouting, Boy Scouting or Venturing, contact Jason Bledsoe at the Heart of America Council office (816)942-9333 or email him at jbledsoe@bsamail.org.

I would invite you to promote your troop in the comment section below.

Girl Scout on a zipline

Cub Scouts waiting to go to dinner.